NEWS FROM THE FUND FOR REUNION/PRINCETON BTGALA A Non-profit Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Princeton Alumni, Students, Faculty and Staff P.O. Box 1481, Princeton, New Jersey 08542

Volume X, No. 3	March 1997

In the Nation’s Service....

This Alumni Day, FFR sponsored a panel discussion on the role of volunteerism in the LGB community. An audience of about 20 students and alumni participated.
Moderated by FFR President Shawn Cowls '87, the discussion dealt with opportunities for volunteer service in civil rights and AIDS-related public service agencies. Three of the panelists represented such organizations:

Dick Dadey, Executive Director of Empire State Pride Agenda, a political action committee supporting electoral and legislative initiatives on behalf of LGB rights in New York State at the state and local level as well as in Washington. (212) 673-6128
Gilles Mesrobian, Executive Director of Miracle House, a service organization providing counseling, free or low-cost temporary housing in New York City for the families of PWAs, and direct support for PWAs.
(212) 462-8096
Bill Peters, Development Director of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a pro-bono legal services organization litigating precedent-setting LGB civil rights cases in all levels of the court system, including the Hawaiian same-sex marriage initiative. (212) 809-8585

Also on the panel were two Princeton seniors who spoke about their own experiences as volunteers:

Gia Biden ‘97, who spends an evening a week working for Manna, providing meals for home bound PWAs in Philadelphia.
Suman Chakraborty ‘97, who served as an intern last summer for Quilombo, an organization working toward educational reform that will improve the system for disadvantaged high school students in Oakland, CA. (Suman’s internship was cosponsored by FFR. See prior newsletter for more about it!)

Discussion centered on various public-service opportunities, from "envelope-stuffing" to skilled pro bono services, from committee work on fund-raising events to activist initiatives like lobbying. Attention was given both to part-time opportunities available to volunteers with day jobs and to full-time internship programs for students or entry-level workers.

All of the panelists agreed that volunteer service is crucial to the success of gay-rights initiatives and the war on AIDS, not only because of limitations on outright cash to underwrite these efforts, but also because volunteerism energizes grass-roots public support of such causes. Several speakers pointed out that volunteer service benefits both the organization as well as the volunteer, building self-esteem while providing community networking and a sense of fulfilling a greater purpose.

Following the panel, FFR hosted a reception allowing students to mingle with panel members. Because of the event, FFR has an applicant for what will be our second sponsored summer internship with a public service organization of vital interest to the LGB community!

Dues Update

Thank you so much to all of you who have responded to our endless pleas for dues! Dues not only pay for this (hopefully interesting) newsletter, but also support scholarships to students, our summer intern sponsorship, as well as activities for students and alumni at Princeton! We now have a record 110 members current on their dues! A special thanks to those of you who sent student and reduced membership contributions - we appreciate your participation even though funds are tight!

Who Are We?

We are a not-for-profit, privately incorporated 501-C3 corporation dedicated to improving the Princeton experience for alumni and students. We are independent of the University and the campus organization (which currently is called the LGBA). We are run by a board of alumni volunteers. Though we have social events for students and alumni, our primary purpose is a charitable and educational one. Enclosed is a brochure describing us in greater detail - we’ve been passing it out at Reunions since our inception, but many of you may not have seen it.... Enjoy!

Regional Affairs....

Report from Jane on So. Cal Brunch

The So. Cal. Brunch was lightly attended, but enjoyed by all who came. Talk never stopped as we reminisced about our days at Princeton, and talked about our families, our lives since school, our jobs etc. We look forward to getting together again - maybe at the theater!

Gathering in the Bay Area?

Alumnus Richard Johnson '75 heard from a number of you, and plans are in the works for a spring affair to be announced in our next newsletter! For more information or to get involved call Richard.

Home: 415-824-2204 Work: 800-888-9866

Boston? D.C.? Who’s next?

We are planning a warmer weather event in Boston - look for more information in our next newsletter! We hope to also report on something coming in our nation’s capital....

Campus Updates:

Trouble in Paradise

It’s easy to take for granted the increasing openness at Princeton and in our nation. Each year, more and more students are coming out in college. At the same time, every year some Princeton students who come out are cut off by their parents. Some parents blame Princeton for their child’s sexuality; other parents simply want nothing more to do with their child. Some students drop out, but others stay.

This is an area the Fund for Reunion has not addressed. Recently, board members were moved by the story of one student’s fight to stay in school (whose story we hope to share with you in the near future). We feel it’s time to begin looking at the situation and seeing what we can do to make a difference.

LGB Coordinator

The LGB Coordinator’s position exists in part because of encouragement by FFR. We have been pleased with both the individuals chosen and the effect it has had on campus life. We have some concerns, though.
The position is an internship. No one in the office of the Dean of Students can be said to have a great deal of experience dealing with LGB issues, so the LGB coordinator is by default the expert who trains the administration in dealing with LGB youth. Billing the position as an internship leads to expectations of training and guidance that may not be fulfilled.
Low pay and a limit of two years service make the position unattractive to individuals with the experience and training needed to cope with the many stresses of dealing with LGB youth at Princeton.
High turnover in the position means the coordinator spends an inordinate amount of time learning the system, taking away value from the students. It also tends to distance them from FFR - we can be a valuable resource, but our value is limited due to the 3 to 6 months every year or two needed to build a relationship.
Finally, though the position is half paid by the Chapel and half by the Dean of Students office, there seems to be a trend toward more control by the Dean of Students office, resulting in increased emphasis on programming and less emphasis on the emotional welfare of students.

250th Anniversary Activities

In conjunction with this year’s Pride Week (April 13 - 19), the LGBA is preparing a history of Princeton LGB activities. Want to contribute? Contact Nicolas Janberg ‘96: 609-279-9402, nicoj@alumni.princeton.edu.

Summer Intern for Hire

Sophomore David Massé has a technical background and is eager to get a summer job in New York City with enough pay to cover food and housing (and a little fun). Call us if you could use a bright, dependable, energetic, young man with extensive computer skills, or you can e-mail him at djmasse@phoenix.Princeton.edu.

Career Opportunities

Last month, FFR posted an add in the LGBA newsletter about the actuarial field, encouraging students to contact Shawn Cowls ‘87 for more information about the career and jobs. Two students responded. We’d like to do more of this! If you would like to discuss your career with interested students, contact us and we’ll get you in an upcoming LGBA newsletter.

Our Side of Paradise

This spring marks the 25th anniversary of the recognition of the LGB community at Princeton. In honor of this event, the Committee for the 250th Anniversary along with the LGB Coordinator's Office, the LGBA and the Fund For Reunion will be holding a conference and banquet on April 18th, 1997.
There will be two panels which providing a look at "Princeton Then and Now" featuring LGB alumni and students talking about their experiences.
The banquet features an awards ceremony honoring three Princeton administrators for their tireless commitment to the LGB community over the years.
Associate Dean of Religious Life, Sue Anne Steffey Morrow has been deeply involved in the community. Among many other things, she is deserves a great deal of credit for the creation and cultivation of the LGB coordinator’s position. In addition, Sue Anne has been a back bone of support to both LGB students and the LGB Coordinator.
Associate Dean of Financial Aid, Robin Moscato has helped fund a multitude of LGB students disowned by their families after coming out - four this year alone. Robin served as chair of the LGB Task Force, was very involved in the battle for domestic partnership benefits, and has served as a visible, out member of the community since coming to Princeton 13 years ago.
Associate Director of the Counseling Center Susan Packer was deeply involved in establishing LGB peer educators, has served as the liaison to the LGBA for almost a decade, and has counseled countless LGB students over the years. Susan has also given a great deal to the community by being an out, proud member of the administration since arriving at Princeton fresh out of graduate school in 1977.
FFR members in the East Coast/New York Region will receive an invitation from the LGB Coordinator's Office. It is crucial that that we have alumni at the event - it will be fun and it will show the Administration that Gay and Lesbian Alumni are a powerful force to be reckoned with! Those of you who not in the surrounding region who would like to attend may call Michelle Seldin, LGBA Coordinator, at (609) 258-1353. Anyone willing to serve on the panel or who would like to help in any way should also give Michelle a call. We can't wait to see you all in April!

Contacting Us: We can be reached at:

Fund for Reunion/Princeton BTGALA, P. O. Box 1481, Princeton, NJ 08542

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The Fund for Reunion, Inc., is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation incorporated in 1986 independent of Princeton University with the goal of improving Princeton's relationships with its LGBT community, including alums, students, faculty, and staff. For more information, visit our website at http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ffr-gala/ or send us an e-mail by going to the Fund for Reunion Email page.
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